BETHLEHEM, Pa. - If getting up early, standing in long lines and jostling fellow shoppers for discounted merchandise is not your idea of a good time, maybe you’ll enjoy another way you can spend Black Friday.
#OptOutside and join the movement started by specialty outdoor retailer REI in 2015 as a way to encourage people to reconnect with nature.
The Lehigh Valley is home to some amazing trails and greenways, with use skyrocketing during the pandemic.
The Lehigh County Bureau of Parks and Recreation is responsible for the development, management and maintenance of over 4,000 acres of County park land and open space.
There are also 20 parks and conservation areas in the neighboring Northampton County Parks System, encompassing 2,205 acres of green space.
And let’s not forget the endless miles of trails for walking, hiking and biking at all ability levels.
What it means is plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation for everyone who lives, works and plays in the Lehigh Valley.
If you’re ready to #OptOutside on Friday, here are a few spots to check out, including a few you might not be familiar with. This is not a comprehensive list, but includes some of the more popular locations for outdoor recreational activity:
Bob Rodale Cycling & Fitness Park
What: A 103-acre park offering varied recreational opportunities, with a 1.3-mile, 24-foot wide paved track for cycling, rollerblading and running/walking.
Where: 1148 Mosser Road, Breinigsville
Cedar Creek Parkway
What: A 37.5 acre park that runs along Cedar Creek in Allentown. Features 2.3 miles of multi-use trails, lighted basketball courts, two beach and two hard volleyball courts, a playground, public pool and more.
Where: Located between Hamilton Blvd and Linden Street (Parkway Blvd)
Gerald E. Seyfried Bear Swamp & Archery Complex
What: A 251-acre park and natural area of woodlands, wetlands and a tributary to and the main stem of East Fork Martin's Creek. Includes a one-half-mile long loop boardwalk, a pavilion, archery facilities, target range, a loop trail and picnic tables and more.
Where: The site lies within the Greater Minsi Lake Corridor Greenway and can be accessed from Lake Minsi Drive in Upper Mount Bethel Township.
Lehigh Parkway
What: a 6.2-mile loop trail, along with a bridle path, covered bridge, disc golf, fishing, restrooms and more. Home to Lehigh Valley Road Runners Club, Allentown’s “Lights in the Parkway” holiday attraction and more.
Where: Located off Lehigh Parkway E and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Lehigh Parkway S, Park Dr, and S Jefferson St in Allentown.
Jacobsburg State Park
What: An 1,168-acre park near Wind Gap, in Bushkill Township, Northampton County. Features the Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, wooded trails, water crossings, bridges, flat fields, picnic areas, benches and more.
Where: 400 Belfast Rd, Nazareth.
Trexler Nature Preserve
What: A 1,100-acre park owned and maintained by Lehigh County, with 18 miles of trails for wildlife observation, bird watching, hiking, walking, horseback riding, mountain biking and other forms of recreation.
Where: Park near the Trexler Environmental Center (4931 Orchard Road, Schnecksville)
Trexler Memorial Park
What: A 1.3 mile paved loop trail. Additional amenities include open, grassy areas and restrooms. There’s a statue of General Harry Clay Trexler overlooking the park.
Where: Located off Springhouse Road and can be accessed from Broadway, Cedar Crest Blvd and Tilghman Street.
Walking Purchase Park
What: A multi-use trail system with approximately 11 miles of purpose-built mountain bike trails and a vertical change of 400 feet.
Where: 805 Constitution Drive, Allentown (Salisbury Township)
Trails and Rails-to-Trails
Popular trail options include the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, the Saucon Rail Trail and the Ironton Rail Trail.
